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Cuba’s hot, but how do I get there?

Cuba has certainly been a ‘hot’ destination again recently; after the big surge in interest for this most unusual of Caribbean islands in 2014 & 2015, we thought interest might start to wane a little, but now the first American scheduled flights have begun, demand is increasing again. There is still some confusion on how to get there as it’s not quite as straightforward as other destinations.

Can I travel direct from the USA?

Yes! There are now regular direct flights on sale from New York (daily), Miami (daily), Houston (Sat only), Fort Lauderdale (daily) and Orlando (daily). Airlines authorised to fly the prized routes to Havana include United, American and Jetblue. Fares from Houston start at just NZD$400 one-way and from Miami from just $190 one-way.

IMPORTANT Due to the continuing USA/Cuban embargo, you can’t yet buy a through-ticket from NZ to Havana via the USA, but this of course may change. Watch this space!

CUBAN TOURIST CARDS When entering Cuba directly from USA you will need a special Tourist Card (which is pink in colour). This visa can only be purchased through your chosen airline and cannot be purchased in NZ prior to travel. •Each airline flying from USA to Cuba has a different process and price in which to obtain the pink visa. The cost of PINK visas range between USD$50-110 per person, subject to change. Travellers flying directly from the USA to Cuba will also be provided an affidavit from the airline to sign outlining their purpose of travel to Cuba.

For entry via any other country than the USA, you will need a Cuban tourist card which is green in colour.

The USA via Mexico Route

This has traditionally been the most cost-effective way to get from NZ to Cuba, although likely to be less used now there are direct flights from the USA. You can fly from NZ via Los Angeles to either Mexico City or Cancun, although there’s usually a long transit or overnight in LA in at least one direction.

Due to the continuing US/Cuban embargo, you can’t buy a through-ticket from NZ to Havana via the US, so the Mexico-Havana-Mexico flights must be done as a side-trip on Aeromexico or Cubana. This route works well if you are combining Cuba with Mexico or Central America (Belize/Guatemala) as you’d use Cancun as the ‘jumping off point’. We’d envisage the total combined airfare from NZ to Havana return to be approx $3200, but it could be a little less if there are USA specials, or more if going in high season (June-Aug or Dec/Jan)

The South America route (Santiago-Lima)

This is a good option if you are keen to combine Cuba with Peru, as LAN fly from Auckland to Santiago daily and from Santiago via Lima to Havana 5 times per week.You need to spend the afternoon and night in Santiago on the way out, but there’s a nice airport hotel right by the terminal, and stopovers are allowed in Lima also – ideal if you’d like to take a sidetrip to Cuzco and then onto Machu Picchu. Airfares usually start around $2800 if you avoid Xmas or from $3600 if travelling in Dec/Jan but you do need to book well in advance for travel in high season (June-July and Dec/Jan).

Other options

There are regular scheduled flights to Havana from Toronto, Panama City, San Jose (Costa Rica), Bogota (Colombia), Caracas (Venezuala),Quito (Ecuador) and Grand Cayman but these routes are usually much pricier for NZ travellers than the Mexico or Santiago/Lima routes.

Stop in Cuba en-route to Europe?

We’re increasingly being asked if you can stop in Cuba on the way to Europe. This is most cost-effectively done on a Swiss ticket as they allow you to fly Air NZ to LA or Houston, then you can buy a separate ticket to Havana (approx $400) with Alaskan or United Airlines. Swiss (actually their subsidiary Edelweiss Air) fly from Havana via Zurich to most points in Europe. Fares including the USA-Cuba hop from $2300 + taxes.

Experiences in this area

Cuba is a place like no other! Emerging from an embargo and the influence of Fidel Castro, the Cuban people are opening up their homes and their hearts to visitors. Visit wonderful old Havana with its rich Spanish heritage, a … Continue reading →

Includes economy class airfares ex Auckland, departs 8 May 2020 This small group hosted journey is guaranteed to depart, regardless of numbers! Trapped in a time warp as a result of the Cuban revolution in 1959 and subsequent economic embargo, there … Continue reading →